Celebrate Ontario 2018

Up to $300,000 for your events.

The Celebrate Ontario program helps New or Existing Tourism Events to enhance programs, activities and services and support innovations that lead to long-term improvements, sustainability and the attraction of additional tourists.

Definitions

A Tourism Event is an event, festival or series of public activities organized annually or biennially within a set period of time, with specific programming and developed with the intention of becoming a tourism driver over the long-term that is marketed to tourists.

A Tourist is an individual (including an Ontario resident) who travels 40 kilometres or more (one-way), or crosses the Ontario border to attend a Tourism Event. Contributors to a Tourism Event (e.g., performers, suppliers, vendors, etc.) are not considered tourists.

An Enhancement Project is

an initiative that provides improvements to a Tourism Event’s programming and services or that enhances the tourist experience.

designed to increase tourism attendance, tourist expenditures and overnight stays during a Tourism Event.

should improve the quality and long-term sustainability of a Tourism Event, and may be promoted and marketed to tourists as a stand-alone initiative.

Eligibility

Eligible Organization:

Has legal status for one year or longer as of January 1, 2018 (e.g., organizations established by or under legislation; are federally or provincially incorporated; are band councils established under the Indian Act, Canada; or are other Indigenous organizations that are incorporated).

Is not in default of the terms and conditions of any grant or loan agreement with any ministry or agency of the Government of Ontario.

Eligible Tourism Event:

Occurs in the Province of Ontario.

Is annual or biennial (in the case of New Tourism Events, have the intention of repeating).

Occurs between April 1, 2018 – March 31, 2019 (For Multi-Year applicants, the second year Tourism Event must occur between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020).

Is open to the public at large, without membership in a club or group.

Is not primarily commercial in nature (e.g., trade fairs and consumer shows).

Is not a symposium, convention, meeting, conference, seminar, clinic or award show.

Does not have a sole focus on anniversaries (e.g. civic or national holidays and municipal anniversaries, including the national days of other countries or nations)>

Does not seek to attract only a special interest audience or recruit new members (e.g. religious or political gatherings and workshops).

Funding Principals

Enhancements are assessed on their ability to demonstrate:

Increased attendance and geographic reach.

Increased tourist visitation and expenditures.

Improvements in quality of Tourism Events and improved sustainability.

Attraction of overnight and out-of-province tourists and visitors to a community through the development and marketing of overnight packages (e.g., theatre/hotel/restaurant discounts) and incentives.

Strengthening of Ontario’s tourism brand image throughout Canadian and international markets.

YOUR NEXT STEPS

Contact Gladstone Consulting: We bring years of leading experience in matching your organization’s needs to Celebrate Ontario priorities and processes, maximizing your chances for success. Gladstone Consulting will assist you in:

Reviewing program priorities and requirements in context of your Tourism Events plans.

Reviewing the Application Guide, Grants Ontario Application Form and the Celebrate Ontario Project Application Form (Single or Multi-Year).

Your organization can submit up to one application per event and two applications per organization. Gladstone Consulting will assure you make the best use of every opportunity.